Symbol for Happiness... Need Tattoo Help!!

[elmsoc]

Hi all, I am very interested in getting the Chinese symbol for "happiness" tattooed on my ankle. The only problem is I cannot be sure about which symbol means happiness and which doesn't! I have no knowledge of the Chinese language, no experience speaking/writing it, no nothing. so this is why I need your help!! I have searched online many times and come up with different results and symbols each time. If anyone can confirm, deny, or even post a picture of this symbol, i would be very grateful! and please, no guessing! this thing is going on my body for life!!

Below is a picture of two symbols of "happiness" I found on the internet.

Thanks!

[liuzhou]

Why you would want to disfigure yourself with writing in a language you know nothing about is a total mystery, but here we go.

The character (not symbol) for happiness is 喜. However if you want to be more authentic and look like slightly less idiotic, you should probably go for 'double happiness' 喜喜 which is the traditional way to deal with the character - one happiness being a bit mean. This is usually seen at weddings - not often on ankles.

[Lu]

You posted four characters in two words. The top word, huanxi, I know only as the Shanghainese work for like, love. Afaik it doesn't mean happiness. You can use the second character of it, xi, that doubled makes 'double happiness', like liuzhou says, used at weddings not on ankles.

You could also consider the second character of the second word, fu, meaning happiness. I've seen it used on anything from tea cups to curtains, in the west mind you, rarely in China, so why not on your ankle.

Lastly, perhaps you'd want to reconsider getting a tattoo in a language you have no knowledge of nor connection with. Have a look at hanzismatter.com for some illustrations of why this is not necessarily a good idea. And if you're really sure, bring someone with some knowledge of Chinese to the tattoo parlour, to make sure you don't get it upside down or badly written.

[wai ming]

The top word, huanxi, I know only as the Shanghainese work for like, love. Afaik it doesn't mean happiness.

Taiwan's 教育部國語辭典 has as the first definition for 歡喜 "快樂、高興。"

[Lu]

Taiwan's 教育部國語辭典 has as the first definition for 歡喜 "快樂、高興。"

I stand corrected then, if the 教育部國語辭典 says it, it does mean happiness. Still not the best way to put that idea on your ankle though, I think.

[aeon]

Many hanzi tattoo's on westerners are also badly drawn, even if the characters inked are the ones intended - you need someone who can do the calligraphy properly to get the proportions right.

Please, for the sake of our eyes: don't do it.

[dalaowai]

I know loads of Chinese that have something in Hanzi tatooed. A lot of the ones I've seen in mainland were done in Traditional characters.

I told one of my friends that I'd never get anything written in French or English as I thought it would look silly and asked him why he wrote something in Mandarin. He replied, "hanzi is not only a written language, it's also an art." After looking at it that way, I warmed up to the idea of Hanzi tattoos.

Do be careful, as many others have mentioned, if the tattoo artist isn't native Chinese, the characters might not look that good. If you do get a native Chinese tattoo artist, be careful that he's not disgruntled. ;)

[greedycat]

Taiwan's 教育部國語辭典 has as the first definition for 歡喜 "快樂、高興。"

have no idea why use the Taiwan's dictionary as the standard, i think most of chinese would choice 幸福 or 福 to express happiness.

[Quest]

囍 is usually reserved for weddings, where you have 2 happy people together.

imo, 幸福 is the least silly of the aforementioned words, not that it's not though to be put on your ankle..

幸福 means being blessed with success and satisfaction in one's life, and therefore happy.

[thph2006]

I can't help but think of this lovely girl who was recently featured in a news report. She got a tattoo across her back in a moment of romantic abandon. Some time later after realizing the mistake she made and just before her wedding she went to a laser tattoo removal clinic and ended up with a disfiguring 1/2" thick raised scar across her back in the shape of the tattoo. Might be worth thinking about before taking the plunge.

On the lighter side, when I see 囍 I immediately crave Chinese food since the only place I ever see it is in giant-sized gold characters on the wall at the restaurant.

[Lu]

have no idea why use the Taiwan's dictionary as the standard, i think most of chinese would choice 幸福 or 福 to express happiness.

Taking that dictionary as a (not the) standard because it's big and it's good. In my experience, if it's not in that dictionary, chances are it's not a word.

But that doesn't mean, of course, that people use all these words on a daily basis, just that they exist and have a certain meaning. You seem to be Chinese, what would you say that 歡喜 means? Is the 教育部國語辭典 wrong?

[LilyXu]

Chinese ppl use two "喜" together"喜喜" when ppl get married. cuz it's the thing between the lovers. that does means happy. but if you wanna get a tattoo like this , it looks a lil bit strange, maybe i should say strange, just not usual. but it looks cool anyway, if you like , just go for it. Most foreigners cant get it. And it does look complicated. u'd better find a good designor. hehe~

If I were you, I probabely will choose " 福". happy +lucky. and better make it upside down. it's very typical Chinese way. means " the happyness is coming". very interesting!

My bf got a tattoo on his arm, it's Chinese charactor" 勇" means brave! it looks so fine~~~

good luck!

[Qcash3]

You should do like my cousin mate, go to your local Chinese restaurant and ask the staff. Bring along a couple pictures of characters, and you can also ask them for suggestions. My cousin had 爱 tatooed on her arm and it looks good, but it still remains a mystery to me as to why she would choose a language she knows nothing about. Personally if I was to get a 汉字 tatoo I would get 牛逼. Coolest looking tatoo by far .

[LilyXu]

cool man! ni tai niu bi!heheheh~

well, two of my friends, volunteers of Project Trust, they got something funny on their skin.

“牛肉面”(beef noodle)and“干拌面”( another kinda muslim noodle in China, some ppl call it cold salad noodles )which crack me out when i saw them. And they think it's the most funny tattoo they got. Foreigners don't understand, and Chinese will always have the same reflection as I did.

cheers!